John decowski



`J. DECOWSKI.

BALLOON EQUILIBRIUM DEVICE.

APPLICATION man JAN. 2. 1919.

UNITED1 STATES Ararntri OFFICE.

JOHN DECOWSKI, 0F MCKEES ROCKS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB 0F ONE-HALF 'T0 jMIKOLAJ MOZDZIEN, 0F MOKEES ROCKS, PENNSYLVANIA.

BALLOON EQUILIBRIUM DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27, 19'19.

Application led January 2, l1919. i Serial No. 269,206.

To all whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, JOHN DEooWsKI, a citizen of Poland, residing atMcKees Rocks, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Balloon EquilibriumDevices, of which the following is a speelfication.

, The primary object of the invention -the provision of a ,ready meansfor maintamln the basket of a balloon normally horizonta notwithstandingthe swaying and tipping of the gas bag, the basket also being adjustablerelatively of the bag.

A further object of the invention is to provide a passenger carsuspending device for balloons whereby the car is maintained horizontalat the desired distance below the bal'- loon.

.With these general objects in view the invention consists ofthecombination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described inconnection with the accompanying drawing and in which like. referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevational view of the invention partlyshown in ver? tical section,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of theinvention and Fig. 3 is a transverse horizontal sectional view `takenupon line III--III of Fig. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, my invention is hereinillustrated in conneotion with a balloon having a gasl bag 10 and abasket or passenger car 11 suspendedv therebeneath. A socket memberformed of two disks 12 and 13 and connected together by screws 14 issuspended from the bag 10 by means of cords 15 attached as at 16 to theupper disk 12.

A ball 17 is journaled within a socket 18 centrally provided in thedisks 12 and -13, whereby a threaded shaft 19 depending from said ball17 is normally maintained vertical. It will be understood that the car11 has a bail 20 with a central threaded boss 21 threaded upon the shaft19 for adjustment longitudinally of the shaft.

A perforation 22 is provided in the bottom of the car 11 through whichthe shaft 19 veX- ytends while a head 23 upon the lower end of the shaft19 limits the downward movement of the car 11 when turned upon the saidshaft.

.The ball 17 being free to turn in the socket 18 after the manner of auniversal joint, suspends the car 11 pendulum'wise so that the car willautomatically maintain a horizontal position with the shaft 19 verticalregardless of the swinging and swaying of the bag 10 and the tipping ofthe socket disks 12 and 13.

A U-shaped latch 24 is slidably mounted upon the bail 2O having serratedends 25 adapted for locking engagement with the screw-threads of theadjacent side of the shaft 19. A spring 26 normally maintains the latch24 in locking engagement with the said shaft for maintaming the car 11in its adjusted position upon said shaft 19. A releasing lever 26 ispivoted upon the bail 20 and extends through the slot 27 provided in thelatch 24, whereby the latch may be retracted from engagement with Atheshaft 19 when desired to turn the boss 21 upon the shaft for obtaining adifferent adjustment of the passenger car. The complete operation of theinvention will be fully understood from this detailed descriptionthereof, the ball 17 being adapted for positioning within the socket 18during the assembling of the device when the screws 14 are removed andthe disks 12 and 13 are separated.l By meansof my invention persons maytravel in the car 11 without any inconvenience from the usual swayingmovement of the balloon. A

*What I claim as new is 1. A. balloon comprising a gas bag, a socketmember suspended therebeneath, a ball mounted for universal movementwithin said socket member, a threaded shaft depending from the ball, apassenger car adjustably locked upon said shaft.

2. A balloon comprising a gas bag, a socket member suspended therefrom,a ball freely positioned within the socket of said member, a threadedshaft depending from said ball, a passenger car provided with a bailthreaded upon said shaft, limiting means for the movement of said carupon the member, a threaded shaft Vdepending from said ball, a limitinghead upon the lower end v of the shaft, a bail threaded u on said shaft,

for longitudinal movement re atively thereof and a car carried by thebail having a perforation in the Ibottom through which said shaftextends.

4. A balloon having a bag, a two-part socket member suspendedtherebeneath, a ball journaled' Within the socket of said member, athreaded shaft depending from said ball, a limiting head upon the lowerend of the shaft a bail threaded upon said shaft for longitudinalmovement relatively thereof, a car carried by the bail having aperforation in the bottom through which said shaft extends, a U-shapedlocking latch carried by the bail having toothed ends adapted forfrietionally engaging said shaft, a normal positioning spring for thesaid latch and a releasing lever for the latter pivoted to said bail.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

JOHN DEC-OWSKI.

